 Thursday, December 1 from noon to 1 p.m.
Let’s get together virtually to celebrate, learn from each other, and network!
Hear from a panel of organizations who have received grants from or partnered with Hennepin County. Find out more about their projects, hear success stories, and ask panelists questions of your own. Following the panel discussion, we will split into breakout rooms to delve deeper into conversation.
Panelists include:
- Adrian Iacovino from Three Rivers Park District
- Alyson Quinn from Minneapolis Nature Preschool
- Lindsey Mieras from Prairie Seeds Academy
- Tyler Green from Highpoint Center for Printmaking
The virtual meeting will also include a slideshow highlighting successes and programs conducted by members of our network over the past year.
Send your photos to be included in the slideshow!
Send us your highlights from the past year! Send your photos and captions for the slideshow to Angie (angela.ziobro@hennepin.us). Share 1 to 5 photos and include a caption that describes what is happening in the photo and your organization name. View the 2021 slideshow (YouTube) for inspiration.
Seeking youth input to help shape the future of the school recycling grant program
Do you know any middle, high school, or college students? Please share this survey with them. We are seeking input from youth to help shape the future of the Hennepin County school recycling grant program. The deadline to complete the survey is Wednesday, November 23. |
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Provide feedback on the Natural Resources Interactive Map
Hennepin County hosts the Natural Resource Interactive Map, an online map that provides background imagery, land cover information and classifications, and water resource data for public use. This map allows users to review details related to specific parcels, print and share maps, and draw and measure.
The county is gathering feedback from users of the map to inform platform improvements. Complete this three-minute survey to provide input to natural resources staff on the presentation of natural resource layers and suggest ways to improve the user experience. The deadline to complete the survey is Wednesday, November 30.
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New resources to help you teach, talk about, and take action on climate change
We recently added new articles to our Climate Action website that will help you and your audiences take action to combat climate change, protect our local environment, and make our communities healthier. Consider sharing these articles through your social media channels, website, or email newsletters.
Join a community science project to investigate climate change impacts in your area
Volunteering your time to a community science project leads to better environmental data and improved understanding of environmental issues and climate change impacts.
Some community science projects focus on tracking changes in habitat, wildlife, and phenology - or seasonal changes - to improve our collective understanding of climate impacts. Others involve taking action to address local concerns about water pollution, habitat preservation, and climate change.
Find a community science project that is right for you and your audience and get involved in giving back to your community.
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Explaining the science of climate change
When talking to others about climate change, you may wonder if it’s necessary to have a common, baseline understanding of how climate change works.
Grounding climate education, communication, and conversations in some basic climate science can help put people in a productive place to think about climate solutions. Metaphors and analogies have proven to be effective at helping people understand the complexities of climate science.
Learn how to effectively explain climate science using metaphors like the heat-trapping blanket, too much carbon, ocean as the climate’s heart, and climate as the foundations of our lives.
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Sustainable holiday checklist
 Did you know that we generate 25% more waste during the holidays? From gift wrap to discarded Christmas trees and holiday decor, Americans produce an extra million tons of garbage every week between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.
We all go into the holidays with the best of intentions – we want to share great gifts, tasty food, and plenty of time together. With a little planning, we can create joy, not waste, this holiday season.
Share these tips with your partners and participants about how to have an eco-friendly holiday season.
Takeaways from North American Association of Environmental Education’s international conference
Climate Action Now: an app to foster climate action
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Climate Action Now is an app available for free for iPhone and Android designed to promote engagement in climate action and learning about climate change. This app enables users to easily take advocacy actions. Learn more and download the app. |
Colorado’s Green Pathways website
The Green Pathways website, created by the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education, helps raise awareness of environmental career options for Colorado’s youth, reduce barriers to applying for local, state, and federal jobs, and increase access to information about natural resource careers and jobs available. The site was created and is maintained with the help of a youth advisory council. Check out the Career IQ quiz, created in partnership with Project Learning Tree, that helps youth explore what green jobs are a good fit with their personality, skills, and experience.
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Food safety for school gardens: Growing, handling, and serving a safe harvest manual
The food safety for school gardens manual is a guide for growing, handling, and serving a safe harvest from a school garden. The manual was created by the University of Minnesota Extension and is intended for school garden coordinators, teachers, parents, volunteers or others who will be leading school gardens.
Download the manual, garden rules poster, and food safety plan for free.
Urban agriculture grant
The Minnesota Department of Agricultural has grants available to businesses, schools, nonprofits, local governments, and tribal entities looking to promote urban agriculture, youth education, and community development. Eligible project expenses include equipment, physical improvements, and dedicated staff or contractor time.
The application deadline is Thursday, January 12. Learn more and apply.
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Fund for Frontline Power
Fund for Frontline Power focuses on moving resources to frontline communities who are implementing climate solutions that are inclusive, regenerative, replicable, and scalable. To be eligible for funding, applicant organizations must:
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- Have majority Black, Indigenous, or People of Color leadership among staff and board
- Be grassroots based and prioritize serving Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities
- Be a 501c3 nonprofit OR can be a fiscally sponsored nonprofit, demonstrate community work and partnerships through their history of work
- Have an annual budget of no more than $1.5 million.
Application submission can be in either written or video format in English or Spanish. The application deadline is Sunday, January 15. Learn more and apply.
Become a Minnesota Water Steward
Hennepin County is recruiting residents to become Minnesota Water Stewards in 2023. Minnesota Water Stewards is a program that certifies and supports community leaders to prevent water pollution and educate community members to protect our waterways.
Along with submitting an application, all program applicants need to attend an information session to learn what it takes to become a water steward.
The remaining virtual information session is on Tuesday, November 29 at 5 p.m. The session will be between 45 minutes and an hour in length. Register for the session here.
Applications are due by November 30. Contact Alex Van Loh at avanloh@freshwater.org with questions.
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Art for Water applications due November 30
Are you an artist with a strong connection to water? Do you want to inspire others through your art to appreciate and protect the health of the waters we share? Consider joining Art for Water!
Applications for the 2023 program year are accepted now through Wednesday, November 30. Artists accepted into the program will attend an online course (once a month January to April 2023) to gain deeper knowledge of water science. After coursework is complete, artists will be given a $1,500 stipend to design and implement a public art project/performance that inspires behavior change related to water health.
Learn more and apply
Art for Water is a collaboration between Freshwater and Hennepin County Environment and Energy. Contact Alex Van Loh, avanloh@freshwater.org or Christina Schmitt, christina.schmitt@hennepin.us with any questions.
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Rivers are Alive workshop for elementary teachers
Saturday, December 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Saint Croix Falls, WI
Join Wild Rivers Conservancy, the National Park Service, and elementary teachers in diving deep into the Rivers are Alive K-12 environmental education curriculum. Participants will spend the day exploring engaging activities, educating themselves on the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and its watershed, and reconnecting with nature through outdoor adventure. Lunch, coffee, tea, and snacks will be provided. Cost: $25. Learn more and register.
Direct any questions to Wendy Tremblay at wtremblay@wildriversconservancy.org
Farm-to-school and early childcare technical assistance office hour
Wednesday, December 14 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Join members from the Minnesota farm-to-school leadership team to discuss making farm-to-school and early childcare a success in your community. The farm-to-school leadership team works through partnerships across Minnesota to build farm-to-school initiatives that help kids eat healthy, support nearby farmers, foster economic vitality, and strengthen communities. All are welcome to attend including farmers, school nutrition professionals, early care education operators, parents, teachers, and gardeners.
Register for the free virtual event.
Farm at the Arb: Sustainable horticulture training
The 2023 sustainable horticulture training program provides hands-on technical training in local food production for sale and community health. The training is offered in collaboration with the University of Minnesota Department of Horticultural Science and Extension. Trainees receive a combination of classroom, lab, and field experience at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and partnering farm sites. The training includes a 14-week paid work experience in vegetable production at the Arboretum and local farms.
Applications close on Thursday, December 15. Visit the UMN Landscape Arboretum website to apply.
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The following organizations received a Hennepin County Green Partners grant. The Green Partners grant program supports the county’s goals of promoting environmental stewardship, engaging communities, enhancing quality of life, and protecting the environment for current and future generations. The grants provide training, support, and funding to organizations to implement projects that engage residents to protect and improve the environment.
St. Louis Park Friends of the Arts paint the drain project
"Paint the Drain" is an environmental art project to raise awareness about water and the importance of protecting our lakes, rivers, and streams by keeping storm drains clean and free of garbage and debris.
As part of this project, St. Louis Park Friends of the Arts worked with local artists and city staff to paint five drains around the city with support from a Hennepin County Green Partners Environmental Education grant.
"Clean Drain Happy Water"
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Location: Aquila Elementary School
Artist: Pam Luer
Description: "My design reflects all living and breathing life downstream affected by our human behavior as custodians."
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"Fishes"
Location: St. Louis Park Library
Artist: Melanie Shibley
Description: "I wanted to blend the form and motion of water as it washes down the drain with the shapes of the creatures (namely, fish) that are likely to be affected by whatever gets washed down there. By blending these two concepts together, I intend to make the viewer think about the connections between our actions and the environment and to realize that the consequences are not only real but also local and visible."
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"Respect Your Rivers"
Location: corner of 24th and France
Artists: Liba Zweigbaum Herman with "Studio INSIDE OUT" teens Alex Stoner, Amy Stoner, Akiva Okitzy, Aliza Olitzky and Avi Herman
Description: "Our “Respect Your Rivers” drain reflects the connectivity that we share with our community, micro and macro, with other living species. The flora and fauna that live within the Bass Lake and Minnehaha Creek Watershed, entering the Mississippi River and so forth, are residents along with us."
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South Uptown Neighborhood Association engages residents in organics recycling
The South Uptown Neighborhood Association recently wrapped up their Green Partners grant project to engage residents in organics recycling and reduce the amount of household waste being disposed of as trash. In March, they partnered with the Tangletown Neighborhood Association to host an organics recycling made easy workshop with Hennepin County Master Recycler/Composter Andrea Siegel.
Over the spring and summer, South Uptown Neighborhood Association offered free “starter kits” to encourage neighbors to recycle food scraps, compostable products, and other organic items. Residents from South Uptown got to choose one of three countertop bin styles and received compostable bags and educational materials about diverting organic waste at home.
Learn more about the South Uptown Neighborhood Association’s Green Partners project.
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